Justin Bieber’s current US tour celebrating his new album slash Christian recruitment tool Purpose has been making a lot of headlines recently. First, there was that unfortunate spelling error on his tour merch.
As TMZ reports, one of the T-shirts being sold during Bieber’s world tour opener featured the slogan “Many Are The Plans In A Person’s Heart, But It Is God’s Purose [sic] that Prevails“. Apparently the tees were going for $45 each.
Bieber’s people have since told TMZ they’re aware of the mistake, have recalled the shirts, and are offering anyone who purchased a tee with the very name of the tour misspelt a corrected shirt in exchange.
However, a merch design company that can’t hire a proofreader is small potatoes compared to the slack the pop superstar is copping for his recent Seattle show, during which the singer paid an ill-advised tribute to the late Kurt Cobain.
On the surface it makes sense. Bieber is within his rights to be a fan of the Nirvana frontman’s work and he can even pay tribute to the fallen icon if he so wishes. After all, he was performing in Cobain’s hometown.
However, instead of merely performing a Nirvana tune or saying a few words about Cobain and how his music impacted him, Bieber decided to turn his entire performance into an awkward homage to Cobain, including dressing like him.
As Alternative Nation reports, Bieber’s Seattle gig saw him sporting a T-shirt with Cobain on it, paired with a very grunge-era red flannel shirt (oh, and another one tied around his waist), and he even did his hair up to mimic Cobain’s.
Later on in the show, Bieber ditched the messy mop for a man-bun, more flannel, and torn-up jeans. Later still, things officially went too far when Bieber performed his hit ‘Love Yourself’ on a couch, in a stripped-back style reminiscent of MTV Unplugged circa 1993.
Granted, we’ve all tried to imitate our heroes at one time or another, but Bieber really took things to uncomfortable levels. Although it’s unlikely anyone from the Nirvana camp will call the singer out on it.
As Alternative Nation notes, both Courtney Love and Krist Novoselic are Beliebers, having met the divisive pop star during a fashion show in Los Angeles last month.
Bieber’s stylist has even addressed the backlash the singer has received for wearing Nirvana tees (as he did to the American Music Awards last year), which echoes similar vitriol Bieber copped after professing a love for Metallica.
“I think it’s so funny that all these people are up in arms. I’m sure Kurt Cobain would be like – I mean I can’t speak for him, obviously – but I don’t think he was so snotty or that he would diss anyone who appreciated his music,” she told Esquire.
“It’s so funny. But you know, fans are fans! Whatever you want to say about being pop, but I don’t think Kurt Cobain gave two fucks, and I don’t think Justin Bieber does either. You know what I mean?”
Cobain may not have cared and Bieber clearly doesn’t, but it seems the Nirvana singer’s fans certainly do.
Photos by Getty Images via Alternative Nation
